So You Want to Be on Air? A Guide to Anchoring, Hosting, Voice-overs, and More introduces readers to the most important components a dynamic on-air personality must have, including voice, body language, being on-camera, and appearance. The text underscores how each element requires dedicated training, consistent practice, and the ability to adapt and adjust at a moment's notice.
Opening chapters emphasize one's voice as a tool and provide helpful strategies for analyzing your voice, finding your range, dialing in your posture, working with scripts, and delivering different types of stories. Additional chapters help readers master body language and facial features within different contexts such as behind the desk or on location. Readers learn how to deal with distractions, how to read a teleprompter, and how to cultivate on-air looks that are appropriate for a variety of situations. Dedicated chapters offer tips and tricks for anchoring the news, delivering entertainment news, being a talk show host, and being a podcaster. Citizen journalism and creating a sizzle reel are covered. Each chapter features opening vignettes, warm-up exercises/reflections, tips from pros, and Watch, Listen, Learn, Try sections to enrich the learning experience and help students put what they read into practice.
An essential guide, So You Want to Be on Air? is an exemplary resource for courses and programs in broadcast journalism and on-air communication.
